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Double Bass My pick up (rubish)

#2
bats said:
I have an pick-up, it sounds like rubish. I don't hear the tone but mostly the contact between my left hand and the string. Killing a cat. It are 2 piëzo-electric on the bridge. It wasn't an expensive one (used) but iTS not good
Something i can do with it?
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Well, you said its rubish. What do you usually do with rubish?

I don't know what pickup you have, but it sounds like it is either defective or an old poorly designed pickup. There are better options out there.
 
#4
KUNGfuSHERIFF said:
Are you using a preamp?
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Exactly what I was going to ask. If you are plugging a piezo pickup directly into a bass amp without going through a preamp first, it will probably not sound very good. The input impedance of most bass amps is too low to properly match the piezo. Using a preamp specifically designed for use with a piezo pickup (with a very high input impedence) between the pickup and your amp will improve things dramatically.
 
#6
You may be able to describe the pickup and its mounting position a bit clearer, so that we might guess which pickup you have. Beyond the preamp recommendation, we might be able to tell you where and how the pickup should be mounted, what to look after and also which preamps are good and which ones better to avoid.

The description seems to fit a Fishman BP-100, which is rather unpopular, but might also describe an Underwood or a Shadow SH-950 (which is an Underwood clone).
 
#7
Lo-E said:
Exactly what I was going to ask. If you are plugging a piezo pickup directly into a bass amp without going through a preamp first, it will probably not sound very good. The input impedance of most bass amps is too low to properly match the piezo. Using a preamp specifically designed for use with a piezo pickup (with a very high input impedence) between the pickup and your amp will improve things dramatically.
Click to expand...

The OP's complaint seems to go well beyond optimal impedance loading (not matching). As DoubleMIDI suggested, more information would be helpful.
 
#10
Yes, it is.

Use the "Go Advanced" button and klick on the attachements paper clip symbol to upload a picture with your message.
It shouldn't be too large or it won't be accepted. You also only have a limited amount of space for all your talkbass attachments, so this is also a good reason to keep it as small as possible.
 
#12
drurb said:
The OP's complaint seems to go well beyond optimal impedance loading (not matching). As DoubleMIDI suggested, more information would be helpful.
Click to expand...

The OP's complaint is not terribly specific, but plugging an unbuffered piezo straight into a lot of bass amps - particularly those with low input Z - will produce a sound that is scratchy and thin, hence my comment.

You're absolutely right that it's proper loading that's desired. I was simplifying my answer and used the term "matching" to suggest that, with a piezo, one should use an input impedance that is appropriate. My apologies - it was a bit misleading.

It's true that other factors can, in fact, contribute to bad piezo tone, such as how it's fitted to the bridge and the quality of the piezo p'up itself, but if the OP is using a piezo p'up without a preamp, that would be the first place I'd start looking.
 
#13
Lo-E said:
The OP's complaint is not terribly specific, but plugging an unbuffered piezo straight into a lot of bass amps - particularly those with low input Z - will produce a sound that is scratchy and thin, hence my comment.........


............but if the OP is using a piezo p'up without a preamp, that would be the first place I'd start looking.
Click to expand...

I think were all wasting out time, I sent Bats Man A P.M. asking him to tell what his pickup and amp were, and he never responded. :) :eyebrow: :D
 
#14
Lo-E said:
The OP's complaint is not terribly specific, but plugging an unbuffered piezo straight into a lot of bass amps - particularly those with low input Z - will produce a sound that is scratchy and thin, hence my comment.
Click to expand...

Thin, yes, because of the effective high-pass filtering produced by the low-Z in combination with the piezo. Take a look at what the OP said:

bats said:
...I don't hear the tone but mostly the contact between my left hand and the string.
Click to expand...

The absence of a sense of "tone" is likely caused by factors other than non-optimal loading, such as those you mentioned.

Lo-E said:
You're absolutely right that it's proper loading that's desired. I was simplifying my answer and used the term "matching" to suggest that, with a piezo, one should use an input impedance that is appropriate. My apologies - it was a bit misleading.
Click to expand...

I understand. On several occasions, I've explained the difference between the terms for the benefit of those not familiar with their actual meanings. I even contributed this post targeted on the issue.
 
#15
ImageUploadedByTalkBass1382781266.297510.jpg
 
#18
Just one more photo with the pickup mounted to the bridge the way you used it, please.

I think the Roland Cube is made for bass guitar and therefor a preamp is needed.

Your pickup looks like the infamous Fishman BP-100 which needs to be clamped to the side of the bridge top each of the two piezos between two strings (make sure you use the plan side of the bridge!).
If you don't have the clamps, you can order them from Fishman.
Some people mount them like an Underwood in the bridge wings using hard wood veneer to fill the gap. That might sound a bit better (or not).

The main problem is, that the input impedance of your amp (which is not too bad, just a bit weak) is much too low for your pickup (and also fo most other piezo pickups, but worst for the pickup you have). So for any piezo pickup you want to use with this amp you need a preamp/impedance buffer. A cheap and good solution would be the FDeck HPFpre. Version I or II is fine, version III is mostly for bass guitar. The high pass filter in there (it passes anything except the boomy lows and is adjustable) lets get you more audible volume out of your amp too. It is also one of a few preamps that has the 10 MOhms input impedance needed for the BP-100.
Since any other preamp costs at least twice as much (or much much more) than a HPFpre, order one from Francis Deck (who is on this forum too and has a website for this).

A differrent pickup will get better results too, but for this amp you should get the preamp first. Then you can experiment with the mounting of your pickup and if you are not satisfied, get something else later.
 

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